The Ramoche Temple is the key cultural relic protection unit of the Tibet Autonomous Region

04/12/2012 14:29

The Ramoche Temple is located 500 meters north from the Jokhang Temple and in the northwest of the Tibetan capital-Lhasa. It is the key cultural relic protection unit of the Tibet Autonomous Region. The Ramoche Temple was built in the Tang Dynasty which was in the same period with the Jokhang Temple. It covers an area of 4,000 square meters.

The temple was badly damaged during the Mongol invasions and there is no certainty that the statue that remained in 1959 was the original one. The original temple was destroyed by fire, and the present three-storied building was constructed in 1474. Soon after it became the Assembly Hall of the Gyuto Tratsang, or Upper Tantric College of Lhasa and was home to 500 monks. There was a close connection with Yerpa which provided summer quarters for the monks.
Ramoche, a Buddhist monastery located in the north part of Lhasa city, is considered the most important temple in Lhasa after the Jokhang Temple. It was constructed around 7th century (around the same time as Jokhang), but more Chinese style.